To Build App Security
It is an absolute necessity of the time. App security should not be treated as an option. Every business wants to have its own mobile app out and running, but few factorize the vulnerabilities and risks associated with building an app.
You might think about having a dedicated mobile app for your business. But you must know what you are getting into. In the wake of the recent high-profile cases of severe operational flaws and data breaches like Petya and WannaCry, app developers have become cautious about implementing security measures in the entire app development process instead of just a tacked-on feature.
It’s high time for app developers to consider app security as an integral part of the development process right from the start. In fact, according to a recent survey carried out by Freeform Dynamics, over 70% of candidates responded on their security concerns keeping the growing threats in mind and how they are more apprehensive about code issues and software. It is crucial than ever that companies use their resources to offer maximum protection to customer information and save it from ending up with cybercriminals.
The basic questions that the App Developers are aware of:
a. What is application security and why is it important?
b. How do you secure an app?
c. How do I encrypt my mobile data?
Benefits of Improved App Security
Before we jump to how app developers can build security into their apps, here are some benefits that tightening up your app security can offer you immediately.
Security of Information Asset
The security of sensitive and confidential information is a major concern for most users. This could be the major reason most consumers hesitate to provide personal information to companies or refrain from sharing it online. When companies assure the consumers of the added security measures, it removes the negative stigma around the security concerns of app development and can win the customers over.
Improved Market Reputation
These days, organizations are attacked by cyber criminal activities left and right, regardless of the size of the business and the industry it is operating in. Setting up effective barriers to prevent such occurrences is somewhat a luxury to boast.
This way, businesses also reap the benefits of earning more customers and maintaining a better reputation in the market for practicing the best security practices in the industry.
Offer More Value to the customers
Business is all about the response. You launch a product. You build a demand. And people will pay for your product. Employee engagement is crucial for business success, and it is no different when it comes to earning your customers’ trust to use your app. Introducing an app is indeed a great way you can improve both customer-engagement and interaction and even boost your profits. By offering a safer app that does not compromise on their personal information is of great value that you can offer your customers.
5 Ways to Build Security into Apps
Mobile app security is not what you ponder over at the deployment stage. It is a part of the development process right when the project kick-off. To prevent a data breach, it is essential for developers to think of mobile app security upfront.
Here are the top five ways to make security a part of your agile app development process.
Monitor Progress
Monitoring helps point out aspects your plan might miss. Having a proactive approach with monitoring is crucial. Use data exfiltration policies in your app and firewall to monitor any unusual or delicate patterns like credit card numbers. For testing purpose, you can even use a unique name and fake account for maximum surety. If you identify a glitch, trace it and block the issues before they drag till the end of the process of app development.
Expand User Stories with Enterprise and Platform Specifics
Another crucial aspect is to identify and understand platform-specific issues together with enterprise and business requirements. Highlight the components that you will put to use and use an SDK for management. The common requirements may include:
- Mobile app use cases
- Social media support
- Single sign-on, other authentication services
- App deployment methods
- Mobile app management
Incorporate Threat Modeling
Do not treat security as a step in the work stream or a bold-on function in the development process. It is a crucial factor that should be incorporated into DevOps through a detailed threat-modeling approach. These should be crafted for each project specifically. The threat-modeling procedure can help optimize the security measures based on the vulnerabilities and objectives to define the countermeasures. Incorporating this exercise improves overall risk identification and security awareness.
Smart Allocation of Resources
Prioritization is the key here. You need to divert the focus of your limited resources on threat modeling and risk assessment. This is crucial to find out glitches and other issues with the application performance. The risk exposure to your app can help you where you can focus your resources and time appropriately.
Identification, Authorization, and Authentication
The authorization and authentication technology implemented in the app development process can add an extra layer of security. Additionally, the identification helps the app to allow only authorized access to the most crucial parts of the application.
Implement a strong security framework that also holds security connections can be beneficial in the long run. Customizing the system according to the requirements will permit the user to obtain credentials to allow access. Also, this calls for a file-level encryption policy.
Use the application codes for alignment as the data and passwords are not directly saved in the device. Encryption is a great way to offer a great level of app security.
Bottom Line
Test, test, and test once more!
Do not give up on this process as this is an effective way to detect data security problems. Implementing testing helps strengthen all the weak links of the system. The goal is to boost the security proficiency of the app throughout the development process to be sure of the result. Always look for the simplest solutions as they are often the most secure ones too. By following these steps, you can secure your mobile app and offer maximum security to your customers.
Author Bio:
Megan Dennis is a passionate tech blogger at Appiskey, an Orlando based Mobile App Development Company specializes in iOS and Android game development. She is passionate about technology and loves to analyze the tech industry in his spare time and stay in touch with the latest happenings. She also writes technical articles. Follow @megandennis07 for more updates.